cman1494 said:

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Would love Jim Schwartz - I think his scheme would fit some of the personnel we already have and could obviously upgrade at a lot of positions.

Flores would be a great hire - I just wonder if our personnel is too mismatched from his scheme? He requires cerebral players who can learn lots of complexity and deploy it over the course of a game...unlike anything we've had before.

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Agree with this. Seems like Flores would be a major fit challenge and he most likely would only be here a year or two before he gets a HC gig.

He may get one this year so I think it's going to be a moot point.

Infection_Ag11 said:

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It was laughable that some believed he wouldn't be fired. That was an inevitability.

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With Jerry Jones, anything is possible.

Including Jerry coordinating the defense himself in '26

The Dallas Cowboys finished with the No. 4 worst defense in the history of DVOA.

The Cincinnati Bengals were on this list for much of the season but improved in December. pic.twitter.com/OLMDO301iX

— Aaron Schatz 🏈 (@ASchatzNFL) January 5, 2026

Wtf

Worse than the team that went 0-16 lol.

Vessel said:

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The Dallas Cowboys finished with the No. 4 worst defense in the history of DVOA.

The Cincinnati Bengals were on this list for much of the season but improved in December. pic.twitter.com/OLMDO301iX

— Aaron Schatz 🏈 (@ASchatzNFL) January 5, 2026

Wtf

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so much lol

I feel like I could've coordinated our defense to a wild card spot

Damn, down there with 2 teams that moved and another that moved before moving back

Dak's record on that list is up there with prime Dan Marino and a Pro Bowl Drew Brees year.

Harbaugh out. Bout time.

Tksymm7 said:

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Harbaugh out. Bout time.

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Bout time for Jerry to hire him....

yep, just see the titans. they are beyond dumb for letting vrabel go. the list of coaches they're interviewing is so sad.

I asked ChatGPT to pitch me Jim Leonhard for the Cowboys DC.

The Jim Leonhard Pitch
Stability. Structure. January Defense.
The Problem Dallas Is Solving
The 2025 Cowboys defense wasn't just bad it was unstable.

• Bottom of the league in points allowed
• Poor third-down defense
• Explosive plays in critical moments
• High variance week to week
• Dependent on pressure that no longer exists

With Micah Parsons gone, Dallas cannot rely on chaos defense anymore.
Dallas needs a defense that:

• Survives without a superstar pass rusher
• Wins with communication and leverage
• Holds up against elite QBs
• Travels to January football

That's Jim Leonhard's specialty.

Who Jim Leonhard Is
Jim Leonhard is a defensive architect, not a motivational speaker.

• Former NFL safety who survived on intelligence, not traits
• One of the most respected teachers in football
• Built elite defenses at Wisconsin without elite talent
• Known league-wide for clarity, discipline, and preparation

He builds defenses that don't beat themselves.

What Leonhard Brings Immediately
A Coverage-Driven Identity
Leonhard's defenses are built on:

• Quarters / match coverage
• Late rotation and disguise
• Defined leverage rules
• Communication over freelancing

Result:

• Fewer blown coverages
• Fewer explosives
• QBs forced to take checkdowns

Dallas desperately needs this.

A Defense That Works Without a Superstar
Leonhard does not require:

• An elite edge rusher
• High blitz volume
• One player to wreck the game

He creates pressure through:

• Simulated pressures
• Creepers
• Protection confusion

That means Dallas can win with:

• Solid DL play
• Smart linebackers
• Disciplined DBs

Exactly what this roster is built for now.

Situational Football (Where Dallas Failed Most)
Leonhard excels in:

• Third-and-medium
• Red zone
• Two-minute defense

His philosophy:

Quote:

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"Make them earn everything. No free points."

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That's how you survive playoff football and how you stop hemorrhaging points in tight games.

Why He's the Right Fit for THIS Cowboys Team
Reduces Variance
Dallas has lived on:

• Big plays
• Turnovers
• Momentum swings

Leonhard brings:

• Predictability
• Floor-raising defense
• Fewer collapses

This is how teams win consistently, not just loudly.

Maximizes Existing Personnel
Leonhard's system:

• Protects DBs with help and leverage
• Simplifies linebacker reads
• Keeps DL gap-sound

He doesn't ask players to be heroes.
He asks them to be right.

Playoff-Proof Philosophy
Elite QBs beat:

• Over-aggression
• Man coverage without help
• Blitz spam

Leonhard's defenses:

• Make QBs hold the ball
• Shrink windows
• Force patience

That's how you survive against Mahomes, Burrow, Allen not by trying to out-blitz them.

Why Jim Leonhard Over Flashier Names
Other DCs offer:

• Aggression
• Chaos
• Peaks and valleys

Leonhard offers:

• Structure
• Communication
• Reliability

Dallas doesn't need fireworks.
Dallas needs adults in the room.

The Bottom Line
Jim Leonhard gives the Cowboys:
A defense that works without Micah Parsons
Fewer coverage busts
Better third-down and red-zone defense
A January-ready identity
Stability after years of volatility
He won't dominate headlines in September.
He'll still be standing in January.

What do you feed into ChatGPT to get this info?

I asked it to compare Raheem Morris, Brian Flores, Jim Leonhard, Kevin Minter… I forget who else. Give me there strengths and weaknesses.

It suggested Leonhard being the best fit for the Cowboys current personnel.

Then I asked it to pitch me Jim Leonhard.

This just came up on my FB as a memory from 12 years ago. Literally nothing has changed in 12 years

Orlando Ayala Cant Read said:

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This just came up on my FB as a memory from 12 years ago. Literally nothing has changed in 12 years

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you could go back 12 more as well....

And 12 more

I wish Dallas would hire John Harbaugh…

At least one team with a sitting coach has reached out to his agent per reports. I'd be surprised if they fired Schotty but you never know. Harbaugh has proven to be a very good coach.

98Ag99Grad said:

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At least one team with a sitting coach has reached out to his agent per reports. I'd be surprised if they fired Schotty but you never know. Harbaugh has proven to be a very good coach.

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would be funny if it was pittsburgh

Harbaugh to the Raiders would make alot if sense. Pair him up with Mendoza as he would be great for him.

zgolfz85 said:

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98Ag99Grad said:

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At least one team with a sitting coach has reached out to his agent per reports. I'd be surprised if they fired Schotty but you never know. Harbaugh has proven to be a very good coach.

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would be funny if it was pittsburgh

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Or Miami? What are the odds jerry announces the new dc super bowl weekend as a grasp to be relevant?

Maybe Dallas hires him as "coach in waiting" like they do in college.

You guys should fire Schott today and hire Harbaugh. No way he would turn down Dallas over flipping Raiders and Atlanta. The well-run mystique of NYG is long gone. They are a mess.

South Platte said:

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You guys should fire Schott today and hire Harbaugh. No way he would turn down Dallas over flipping Raiders and Atlanta. The well-run mystique of NYG is long gone. They are a mess.

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Well, we waited it out with McCarthy and missed out on Sean Payton. Very well could look back in 1-2 years and be thinking the same thing with Harbaugh.

But it's a tough spot for sure... Schotty did some good things in year 1 and his offense was obviously on point, but as the head coach he takes blame for the Defense too (which was historically bad).

batchuser said:

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zgolfz85 said:

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98Ag99Grad said:

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At least one team with a sitting coach has reached out to his agent per reports. I'd be surprised if they fired Schotty but you never know. Harbaugh has proven to be a very good coach.

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would be funny if it was pittsburgh

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Or Miami? What are the odds jerry announces the new dc super bowl weekend as a grasp to be relevant?

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The odds are 100%. He does something like that every year. Very sip-like in that regard.

Harbaugh would be awesome but probably wouldn't put up with Jerry's **** show…

Saw that we requested interviews with some candidates currently on playoff teams.

The one that stood out is Jim Leonhard. Seems like a Schotty guy and would be a good hire IMO.

cman1494 said:

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Saw that we requested interviews with some candidates currently on playoff teams.

The one that stood out is Jim Leonhard. Seems like a Schotty guy and would be a good hire IMO.

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How does everyone feel about the possibility of Rex Ryan as dc?

jr15aggie said:

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cman1494 said:

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The one that stood out is Jim Leonhard. Seems like a Schotty guy and would be a good hire IMO.

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I agree, not because I have knowledge of the best coaches, but because I want a young/new guy.

I feel the same way about this DC hire as I did about Parsons... we knew NOTHING was going to change with this team if we paid Parsons, we had to try something different.

We know exactly what's going to happen if we go get another Zimmer or Flus... I want to give one of the top assistants in the league a shot at running the show.

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Agreed!